Google Home Mini is a marvellous device, but we have some 'home improvements' in mind. We speculate on the Google Home Mini 2 - or Google Nest Mini - release date and specification.

Google Home Mini is a marvellous device, but we have some 'home improvements' in mind

The Google Home Mini went on sale in the UK on 19 October 2017. It instantly caught our attention as a smaller and cheaper version of the standard Google Home, priced sufficiently low to introduce the masses to the wonderful new world of smart speakers.

But as much as we love - and heartily recommend it - the Google Home Mini is not infallible. We've put together a wish list of features we'd like to see in a Google Home Mini 2, which will likely be known as the Google Nest Mini, and outlined early rumours regarding the upcoming device.

According to 9to5Google Google is planning a major refresh for its dinky smart speaker, and one that will include new Nest branding.

It will reportedly feature a built-in wall mount, improved audio with higher volume and enhanced bass, and a 3.5mm AUX port, though the size will be much the same as previously.

The site also claims there will also be some sort of proximity sensor, and the Nest Mini will come in new colours.

When is the Google Nest Mini release date?

At Google's last annual hardware event on 9 October 2018 the company announced a new Google Home Hub, which has since been rebranded as the Nest Hub, but no changes to the existing Google Home Mini.

Smart speakers are a relatively new product category, which means they are not necessarily going to be updated every year, but we can't ignore the fact Amazon is now up to the third-generation with its rival Echo Dot.

Both Google Home Mini and the standard Google Home are in their first-generation. The Google Home was announced in May 2016, but wasn't released in the US until November 2016. It made its way to the UK in April 2017.

Meanwhile, the Google Home Mini was announced on 4 October 2017 (alongside the Google Home Max) and went on sale two weeks later.

Two years later there is talk of significant design change, so we could well see the Mini's successor at Google's next hardware event in October 2019.

How much will the Google Nest Mini cost?

Part of the appeal of the Google Home Mini is its low-price, which matches key rival the Amazon Echo Dot. Expect pricing to remain at £49/US$49.

New features we'd like to see in Google Nest Mini

A better touch interface

The Google Home Mini originally had a touch interface just like the Google Home, but Google was forced to deactivate it when it was discovered that the Mini was listening in on conversations without its owner's knowledge. Today only the volume buttons to either side are active on the Google Home Mini. We'd love to see Google properly implement its touch interface on the new Google Nest Mini.

An AUX port

The previous lack of proper Bluetooth support wouldn't be nearly as irritating if the Google Home Mini had an AUX port, allowing you to physically hook up external speakers.

Enhanced audio

This one is probably a given, but we'd always like to see improved audio in new devices. The Google Home Mini performs reasonably well given its hardware, but it's still something you compromise on when buying the cheaper Google Home.

Rechargeable battery

Google Home Mini is designed to be plugged into the mains in a kitchen or bedroom and left there, but its size means it would be a useful device to take to all the places you might take a portable Bluetooth speaker and tether it to your phone rather than Wi-Fi. This would only be possible, of course, if an internal battery meant it didn't always need to be plugged in.

A more natural wake word

Maybe it's just us, but constantly repeating "Hey Google" or "Okay Google" leaves us a little tongue-tied. We'd like to be able to wake up Google Assistant inside the Google Home using a wake word of our choice. This also features on our wish list for Google Home 2.